Secret Hurts
by Snowfire the Kitsune
Summary: Aldalóme, girl of the 25th century, whose folks were obsessed with LOTR series, has an elvish name. But is that all there is to this girl? She has an injured soul and is afraid to let anyone get too close for fear that something will happen.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

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            Elrohir was an elf, and a twin elf at that. Both he and his twin, Elladan, were always getting into trouble. Elrohir was the one who would always tell others which twin he was, while Elladan was pure mischief and never would tell which twin he was. They were mischievous brothers, and rarely was one to be seen without the other.

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Her name was Aldalóme, meaning Tree-shadow, but she did not know the meaning of her name. She was human. Her parents were deceased. Her younger sister recently died in the hospital during her heart surgery. Aldalóme sat up in a tree, tucking her long brown hair behind her ears, and toying with her CD player. Her mind wandering back to happier times and wishing she wasn't so alone. Her loneliness must have been tangible, because suddenly, as if the world around her understood her loneliness. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. The girl's eyes were closed as tears streamed down her face, rain beginning to mix with her tears. Then all was quiet but the sound of the pounding rain.  Then a loud crack sounded. The tree began to tilt, the girl snapped to attention, and to her horror… she knew she could not escape the tree's mighty branches before it crashed to the ground that was swiftly coming to meet her. The sounds of sirens echoed in her ears, telling her that a tornado was coming.

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A.N.- For those of you that started reading 'Shocker!' I humbly apologize. That story was taken down as it was said to be placed in the wrong category. This is a similar idea to 'Shocker!', but I think that this story is a bit better. Hope you enjoy it!

Snowfire the Kitsune


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter2

            "Ow," the girl woke up with birds chirping in her ear. Far off, she heard singing. Slowly getting to her feet, she held her head still until the pain subsided. Curiously, there was no tree anywhere within four feet of her. She was apparently in a small thicket, in a forest, and she had the sinking feeling that she wasn't dead. The melodious voice continued to sing, and out of pure curiosity, the girl decided to find who was singing and ask them for help and directions… that is, if they didn't look like an insane criminal.

            The girl burrowed her way through the tall grass and bushes that surrounded the thicket to be confronted with a very shocking sight! It was a very tall boy, and he was singing to the trees! The girl let out a startled gasp. The boy turned around quickly, and stopped his song.

He frowned as he walked towards the girl, "Len, esse hi men na Imladris (Maiden, in this direction is Rivendale)."

"Um, excuse me?" the girl stares at the boy oddly.

"Ah, you speak Westron," the boy smiled.

"No, I'm speaking in English," the girl frowned as she crossed her arms. "Excuse me, but do you know where I am? I seem to be lost."

"You are in the forest near the outskirts of Rivendale," the boy grinned. "Please follow me, Lady."

The boy began to head off, and the girl could do not but sigh and follow after the strange boy. Her feet making little noise as they walked, she struck up a bit of her courage to tell him her name, "I'm Aldalóme."

"I am Elrohir." The boy frowned as he decided to speak his mind, "Your name is Elvish."

"My parents were a bit obsessed about J.R.R. Tolkien's work. They bought a book on Elvish names and that's how I got my name," Aldalóme sighed. "I never did find out what it meant."

"It means Tree-shadow," Elrohir frowned.  _Something troubles her…_  He quickly smiled as the neared the gates of Rivendale, "Welcome to Rivendale, Lady Aldalóme."

"Wow," Aldalóme gasped in shock.

"Follow me, please," Elrohir grinned at her obvious marvel with his home.

"We're going there?" Aldalóme gasped in surprise.

"This is Rivendale, one of the many houses of the elven kind," Elrohir smiled politely, hiding a chuckle.

"Elves?" Aldalóme frowned in suspicion. Elrohir stopped and turned to face her questioningly, as she brought her hand up to push her hair behind her ear, "But… elves do not exist. It's a common know factor and… Oh bloody hell!" Aldalóme gasped in shock and horror as she felt her ears.

"Are you alright Lady Aldalóme?" Elrohir asked worriedly.

"I'm gonna pinch myself and wake up in the hospital with multiple injuries from that tree and tornado, and then I'll go and visit the graves…" Aldalóme began to rant, but she pinched herself painfully on her arm. "Okay, I guess that means I died…" Aldalóme frowned in deep thought, not noticing Elrohir's facial expression of surprise.

"Lady Aldalóme, we must move on," Elrohir told the elven maiden nervously. "The first people that we shall speak to are my Lord father and Lord Glorfindel."

"Do you think they can explain to me why the heck I'm talking to Elves, and when I was just another human a few moments ago and now, suddenly, I'm an elf?"

"It is possible that they may know the answers to your questions," Elrohir frowned. "You say you were mortal a few moments ago?"

"Yeah, I was just sitting in a tree, thinking about…" Aldalóme stopped herself from saying any more, not wishing to place her burden on the shoulders of anyone but herself. "I was just sitting and thinking when a storm came up. Lightning hit the tree I was in and it fell on me."

"It must have been by the grace of the Valar, that you lived, then," Elrohir nodded with certainty.

"I was crushed by the tree," Aldalóme frowned at her elven guide. "I know I was crushed by that tree and I think I may have died… But if I died, then why am I not with them?"

"Who do you speak of, Lady?" Elrohir asked curiously.

"Don't worry about it Elrohir, it's in the past," Aldalóme sighed as she continued to follow the elf up to the gates of Rivendale.

"Lady, if it troubles you so… why do you not tell others to relieve the burden from your shoulders?" Elrohir frowned.

"I do not wish to give my burden to those who should never have to bear such," Aldalóme sighed. "Please, I do not wish to speak of this anymore."

"As you wish, my lady," Elrohir furrowed his brow, but made sure to nod to his father and Lord Glorfindel as they had entered Imladris.

"Elrohir, who is this fair elleth?" Elrond questioned his son.

"Lord Elrond, my name is Aldalóme. I have come to you for you are known for your honesty and your guidance," Aldalóme paused and waited as she watched Elrond's startlement at her introducing herself; something that was not common in this time, day, and age. "I seek your knowledge and advice, as well as that of Lord Glorfindel. Lord Elrohir was courteous enough to help me while I was confused in the woods and has guided me to your house in hope that you might be able to assist me with answers to my questions."

Elrohir was shocked that this girl could speak in so stately a manner that she had rendered both his father and Lord Glorfindel speechless with her serious words and truthful gaze, "Adar, len engwa?" (Father, be thou sickly?)

"No," Elrond shot his son a look that was clearly a warning that he was treading on thin ice. "You seek both Lord Glorfindel's help and mine. We shall assist you; however, we do not hold all answers."

"That is more than I could have possibly asked, Lord," Aldalóme curtsied and lowered her head respectfully to Lord Elrond Peredhil and Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin.

"Elrohir, you shall escort the Lady Aldalóme to a room where she can rest before the banquet," Lord Elrond turned his gaze to his son, and then back to Aldalóme. "Lord Glorfindel and I will hear of your questions tomorrow."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Aldalóme curtsied again. "Lord Glorfindel."

Elrohir chuckled as he led Aldalóme down to an empty room, "I have never seen my father so startled by a mere elleth!"

"Elrohir," Aldalóme began to scold him, but a shadow leapt at Elrohir. Aldalóme tugged Elrohir out of the way, only to find the mirror image of the elf on the ground.

"Elladan! How good it is to see you, brother!" Elrohir laughed at the site of his brother's indignant and shocked face.

Aldalóme twitched as he claimed Elladan to be his sibling, her mind began to look to fond memories of her own sister, but Elladan, fortunately, stopped her from reminiscing, "Who is this lovely new elleth on your arm, dear brother?"

"This is lady…" Elrohir began, but felt her step on his toes. He yelped in astonishment.

"I am standing right here, and I can introduce myself. I am Aldalóme, and could the both of you please not call me a lady? I don't feel like one, and I certainly have never acted like one."

"Well, that's a pleasant relief!" Elladan grinned roguishly. "So, where are you taking this fine elleth to?"

Elladan yelped as his toes were stepped on, "I don't like meaningless flattery, either," Aldalóme frowned at the hopping elf.

"I am taking Aldalóme to her rooms…" Elrohir backed away from Aldalóme, "Please do not step on my foot again."

"I won't if you stop acting like I'm not standing right next to you when you are talking. And please refrain from calling me a 'lady' or giving me meaningless flattery," Aldalóme bit her lip in amusement.

"I think we can live with those terms," Elrohir smiled.

"And so can our feet!" Elladan winced as he placed his foot gently back on the ground. Elrohir finally showed Aldalóme to her room, but as the twins came down a hall, they spotted their sister.

"You two are such big babies!" Arwen laughed at her two brothers.

"But sister dear, we had our toes stepped on by an elleth!" Elladan pouted and Elrohir put on an innocent look.

"Grow up," Arwen continued to laugh. "I'm sure you two deserved it!"

"She just didn't wish to be called a lady, ignored, or receive our flattery…" Elrohir pouted.

"Good! I hope to speak with this difficult elleth, later," Arwen grinned and left her two brothers pouting for all that they were worth.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own LOTR or the line I used from Pirates of the Caribbean!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter3

            "Elbereth!" Someone screamed in shock and horror.

"Hm?" Aldalóme yawned as she opened her eyes. "What's all the screaming about?"

"Oh Elbereth! You gave me a fright, lady!" a female elf grasped her hand to her throat in hope of drawing more air into her lungs.

"Huh? How could I have given you a fright? I was sleeping," Aldalóme frowned in confusion.

"You had your eyes closed! You gave me a terrible fright, lady! No elleth or elf would ever sleep that way! Tis' unnatural!" the elleth, apparently the maid, was in hysterics.

"I like to sleep with my eyes closed, and it is not that unnatural!" Aldalóme growled irritably, definitely not enjoying the other elleth's hysterics.

"Is everything alright, Alata?" an elleth with dark hair entered the room.

"Undomiel!" Alata, the maid, curtsied respectfully and looked reproachfully at Aldalóme, when she did not do the same. "Forgive me for not noticing your honored presence, but this lady was doing something that tis' not natural!"

"And you are getting your panties in a bunch about nothing! Blimey, do you have goo inside, instead of a brain?" Aldalóme glared at the annoying elleth maid.

"Alata, I believe that you have disturbed our guest. I suggest you return to your other duties, and I will assign someone else to lady…"

"Aldalóme," Aldalóme rolled her eyes as she once again heard herself referred to as a 'lady'.

"…Lady Aldalóme. Alata, you have been of much help," the lady elf with dark hair smiled at the maid. The maid quickly took her leave. "Now, you must be the pleasant elleth that my brothers spoke of. I am their sister, Arwen Undomiel."

"So, you are all children of Lord Elrond, then?" Aldalóme frowned.

"Yes. It is so pleasant to hear that someone else is rebuking my brothers other than Adar, Lord Glorfindel, and myself!" Arwen grinned happily.

"Okaaaay," Aldalóme stared strangely at the elleth before her, not quite certain if this 'Arwen' was sane.

"Oh! You must dress quickly! We shouldn't be late for the feast!" Arwen seemed to bubble.

"Dress? As in 'wearing a dress'?" Aldalóme gave Arwen a look that clearly stated that she loathed the idea of being forced to wear something other than her jeans.

"Oh yes! Father would be most pleased!" Arwen smiled. "I think you would look lovely in…"

"Green, purple, black, dark blue, or red," Aldalóme rattled off the colors in a bored manner. "I will wear a dress, but I do not enjoy wearing dresses because they are cumbersome annoyances and I hold a great dislike for them."

Arwen stared at Aldalóme in surprise, "But surely you jest?"

"No, I'm deadly serious. Have you ever tried to run away from people in a dress? Have you ever fallen because a damn dress tripped you? Have you ever been to a funeral?"

"Funeral?" Arwen frowned.

"I will wear a dress, for now, out of respect for your father's wishes, but I will not wear one unless he requests it himself from this point forward," Aldalóme glared at Arwen, daring her to say otherwise.

"Well, I think you will be a pleasant change to life in Imladris," Arwen tried to put on a cheerful façade, but that didn't succeed in fooling Aldalóme as she put on a Kelly-green dress. The dress hugged her curvy form, the neckline coming just above where her breasts started, the skirt elegantly kept near her feet. Arwen pushed Aldalóme into a chair and quickly did the new elleth's hair in normal elvish fashion.

            "You just keep telling yourself that," Aldalóme mumbled.

            "There! All done!" Arwen clapped her hands happily and left the room, but not before throwing back, "One of my brother's will escort you to dinner!"

            "Great, tweedle-dee or tweedle-dum," Aldalóme sighed as she began to explore the room.

            "So, would you like to go someplace other than stay here and wait a few hours?" one of the twins popped their head in.

            "May as well, don't know how long I'll be stuck here," Aldalóme shrugged.

            "You are a very unusual elleth," the twin replied back.

            "Yeah, so where's your better half?" Aldalóme's eyes began to show exactly how mischievous she could be. She began to walk towards the twin, but he jumped away quickly from her.

            "HEY!" the twin yelped.

            "Nice to see you too, Elladan," Aldalóme smirked.

            "How?" Elladan asked confused.

            "One, your brother is a bit more polite. Two, he would tell me his name. And three, he would have knocked," Aldalóme smiled.

            "Great, you're going to be able to tell us apart, aren't you?" Elladan sighed.

            "Most likely."

            "Okay, so… would you care for a walk through the gardens?"

            "Sure," Aldalóme smiled. "Then we can play the question game!"

            "Question game?" Elladan stared at Aldalóme as if something was wrong with her.

            "Yup, I ask you a question and you answer, if you want to, then you ask me, and so on."

            "Oh, do you wish to start?"

            "Don't mind if I do! Um… are you and your brother really awfully good at pranks?"

            "Yes," Elladan grinned. "My turn, right?" He watched Aldalóme nod, "Do you have any kin in Rivendale?"

            "No, I don't think I do. And not in any of the other elven cities, as far as I know… Is Arwen always that annoying?"

            "What do you mean?" Elladan frowned.

            "Well, she told me I had to wear a dress after some maid came in and screamed me awake from my nice little nap. Then Arwen began to act as if I was some doll that she was giving a make-over to," Aldalóme grimaced at the memory.

            "Sadly, I must admit that she does act that way, but she is fairly sweet and kind, for a sister," Elladan chuckled at Aldalóme's description.

            "Your turn," Aldalóme smiled at him.

            "What do you do in your free time?"

            "I write, read, sing, listen to music, play with my cat, have fun, sleep, and eat." Aldalóme smiled, this next question would determine at exactly what point in the books of J.R.R. Tolkien that she was nearest, "Has a hobbit from the Shire ever visited Rivendale with a group of dwarves?"

            "Dwarves? Why would dwarves enter Rivendale? What is a Hobbit?" Elladan frowned in confusion.

            "Hobbit's are Halflings. I guess that puts me in a time before…" Aldalóme turned to face Elladan and grinned, "Thank you very much, Elladan! You've answered many of my questions!"

            "We were just playing a game, but thank you for answering mine, as well," Elladan smiled down at the elleth beside him. "I do believe that it is time for dinner."

            "Who all will be at dinner?" Aldalóme asked concerned at all the eyes that might be drawn to her, for she was a rather short elleth.

            "Well, my lord father, my twin, Arwen, Lord Glorfindel, and my foster brother, Estel," Elladan frowned as he thought of whom else might attend dinner in the great hall with them. "I believe that Mithrandir may sup with us, as well as a few nobles of my father's counsel."

            "I think Areien mentioned that name… Mithrandir…" Aldalóme bit her lip to hold back her tears.

            "Areien? I do not know any maiden by this name," Elladan frowned.

            "That's because she's dead," Aldalóme winced as she said it with sorrow and conviction clouding her voice.

            "May I ask who she was?" Elladan stared at the unusual elleth before him.

            "I am disinclined to acquiesce your request," Aldalóme used one of her favorite lines from a good movie. Elladan looked confused, "It means, no."

            "Then may we continue to dinner, Lady Aldalóme?" Elladan grimaced when Aldalóme stepped on his toes.

            "For an immortal, you sure do have a short term memory," Aldalóme smirked mischievously.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter4

Dinner was a slow and necessary evil for Aldalóme. She was tired, her body was sore, and she was suspicious of everyone but Elrohir, who found it amusing that she trusted only him. Elladan shot her a glance now and again, but as he was seated on the other side of his twin, he couldn't really get a good look. Aldalóme had been asked to sit at the high table, and though she did not know much of this world, she knew it was an honor.

            "Aldalóme, what is your favorite season?" Elrohir asked out of curiosity.

            "I have none."

            "But milady," Lord Glorfindel spoke for the first time to the new elleth, "Surely you have a preference?"

            "When I am neither warm nor cold, and no pain or suffering is around me," Aldalóme replied quietly as she stopped conversing with the elves and finished her meal in silence.

            "Elrohir, please accompany the lady Aldalóme to Lord Glorfindel's study," Lord Elrond ordered his son.

            "Of course, my lord father," Elrohir nodded dutifully.

            "Father," Arwen whispered to Lord Elrond, "I do not like this new elleth; she did not wish to wear a dress to dinner and she told me that she would not wear one again unless you requested it."

            "She is an unusual elleth, my daughter. Her past haunts her, and I'm afraid it may cause her to fade," Lord Elrond sighed regretfully, then turned his ear to listen to what Elrohir was saying to Aldalóme.

            "Aldalóme, why don't you trust my brother?" Elrohir frowned.

            "I would have, not to long ago, but my trust has been betrayed many times. However, I do trust him to a certain degree, and I trust you because you were kind to me, and… I just want to trust you," Aldalóme shrugged. "Sometimes something makes my decisions for me, causing me to trust certain individuals for no reason at all, and it has never failed to find me someone I can trust."

            "We should head to Lord Glorfindel's study," Elrohir sighed as he thought deeply about her answer. Together they walked until they arrived at Lord Glorfindel's study.

            "Lady Aldalóme, it is a pleasure to meet you," a tall man with a graying beard smiled down at her, as she looked up at him her face flashing with confusion. "I am Gandalf the Grey."

            Aldalóme frowned as she thought… Mithrandir… Gandalf… I know that name, "As it is mine to meet you."

            "She does speak as eloquently as you said, Elrond," Gandalf smiled, his wizened eyes twinkling.

            Elrond, Glorfindel, Elrohir, and Gandalf stood in the room, watching and waiting for Aldalóme to begin. "I'm not really an elf; I'm human, mortal," Aldalóme final got out. "I was sitting in a tree, when a storm came upon me. Lightning struck the tree I was in, and it fell. I believe I was crushed beneath its branches. I'm not from this world, I'm from Earth."

            "How do you know that you are not of Middle Earth, Aldalóme?" Gandalf questioned the elleth before him that claimed to be a human child.

            "Because you have no advanced technology, and there are no elves where I come from," Aldalóme stared into Gandalf's eyes, begging him to see the truth.

            "She seems to speak the truth, but then how did you became an elleth?" Gandalf frowned.

            "Maybe it was because Elrohir was the one to find me, I really don't know," Aldalóme turned her gaze to the floor.

            "Maybe a spell would reveal your true identity," Lord Elrond suggested. Aldalóme shrugged, as it mattered not but for her to return to her normal self.

            "I will try, Aldalóme, but do not get your hopes up," Gandalf frowned and began to speak in another tongue, and a bright wave of light flashed in the room.

When everyone regained their sight nothing had changed with the elves and the wizard, but Aldalóme's ears were no longer pointed and she was once again, human. Aldalóme reached for her ears and found them once again to be rounded, "Thank you!" She leapt at Gandalf and hugged him tightly.

"You are quite welcome, little one," Gandalf chuckled as soon as he caught his wind.

"I'll no longer have to look at a stranger in my reflection!" Aldalóme's happiness consumed her and she began to run around the room, to give each elf a huge hug.

"You're welcome," Lord Elrond gasped out in surprised when she hugged him. She had but shrunk a little, and her hair shortened to its true, manageable, length.

A knock came on the door, and a young Estel walked into the room and was surprised to see a young human girl, hugging his foster father, turn to Lord Glorfindel and do the same, and lastly he saw her hug his foster brother Elrohir, and to his amazement she started to lead the confused elf into some odd sort of dance. Lord Elrond and the others were having a terrible time not trying to laugh at poor Elrohir who had become the girl's best friend in such a short time, "Father," Estel finally made his presence known.

"What is it, Estel?" Lord Elrond frowned.

"I just wished to know what that blinding light was and now I am curious as to why a mortal girl would be dancing with my brother," Estel blinked.

"The blinding light was magic preformed by Mithrandir, and this human girl is Aldalóme, she was an elleth when she arrived in Imladris, but it appears a spell was cast on her and now she is back to her true form," Lord Elrond grinned as Estel nodded.

"Gandalf, may I go with you when you leave?" Aldalóme had released Elrohir, after apologizing for the awkward dancing, and tugged on Gandalf's sleeve.

"Why do you wish to go with me, Aldalóme? You would be happy here in Rivendale," Gandalf frowned.

"Please Gandalf? I wish to see what else this world holds," Aldalóme pleaded with the wizard.

"As you wish, you may join me when I leave in a few days and journey to Hobbiton."

"Thank you, Gandalf!" Aldalóme hugged the wizard again.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own LOTR! Oh, and I want to apologize for getting the timeline when Aragorn was born messed up, but I wanted to include him as a little kid and this is a fanfic, so please don't throw tomatoes at me!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter5

Elladan waited until Aldalóme and his brother had walked down the hall a bit from Lord Glorfindel's study before stopping them. "You wish to leave us?" Elladan pouted.

"NO! Nothing like that! It's just, I really don't belong anywhere. And, I guess, I just want to see your world, Middle Earth, and get used to the idea that I'll be here for a while…" Aldalóme closed her eyes as she let the silence carry her last thought to the twins '_or forever_.' "And, as much as it thrills me to see elves are real, and wizards, and who knows what else! Someone once told me of Middle Earth, and there was only one place that captured my attention."

"What was it?" Elladan let his face become like a stone.

"The Shire," Aldalóme blushed as she stared at her feet. "It was the one place where she'd want me to go. Though she would have soon been the height of an elf, while I'd be stuck at this height," the human girl's laughter turned to tears, "She should be here, not me, I'm the one who should have died, not her… not her. Why her? She had so much going for her? Why couldn't those stupid doctors get her a transplant? Why? Why did she have to leave me?"

Elladan and Elrohir both stopped sulking and quickly embraced the girl, Elrohir sighed and whispered, "Mellon, ta quel á nalla (Friend, it's good to cry)."

"Who do you speak of, mellon? Who is this girl you speak of?" Elladan murmured softly into the broken-hearted girl's ear.

"Areien! Areien!" Aldalóme buried her face into Elrohir's tunic and tried to hide her face from the kind twin elves.

"Shh, mellon, we understand," Elrohir whispered to the small girl in his arms that freely let her tears fall.

Aldalóme began to hiccup and she finally gained control of her voice and her tears, "She was my sister… my baby sister… my only sister… I'm the only one left."

"What happened to her, mellon?" Elladan soothed the girl by running his hand over her hair in a comforting gesture.

"She had a weak heart… it gave out on her… She was only thirteen! It should have been me! It should have…" Aldalóme began to cry again, but this time, she slowly fell asleep.

"Her sister?" Elladan choked out.

"We have a job, now, brother," Elrohir sighed. "We have to prove to her that she has to live, and that it wasn't her fault."

"I think she should talk to Estel," Elladan frowned as he stared down at the girl in his brother's arms. "He is mortal, and we took him into our family, he may understand better than we ever could."

"That is a good idea, brother," Elrohir smiled sadly at his twin, and then gently lifted the girl into his arms and set off to find her room, which their father had placed next to Estel's.

After leaving Aldalóme in her new room, Elrohir and Elladan sought out Estel. "Estel, may we speak with you?" Elrohir asked the future king in passing him in the hall.

"Of course, what is the trouble Elrohir?" Estel frowned in concern at the twins.

"You've met Aldalóme?" Elladan asked curiously.

"The girl that was hugging father and made Elrohir dance?" Estel questioned.

"Yes," Elrohir sighed.

"Then yes, I have seen her, but I have not yet met her," Estel replied.

"Estel, we need a favor of you," Elrohir told the young boy nervously.

"We need you to talk with Aldalóme, she has lost her sister and she says that she is the last one left. Elrohir and I believe that she has lost her family, and her sister was the last to die. She claimed that her sister had a weak heart," Elladan frowned.

"She blames herself, Estel," Elrohir answered Estel's unspoken question. "She thinks that it should have been her that died, instead of her younger sister."

"We figured that it best she talk to another mortal who understands such things," Elladan sighed. "I wish we could help her, but we do not understand what she is going through, and we are not yet sure how to convince her that it was not her fault that the Valar gave her sister less time than she."

"I will help you, my brothers, but know that she will come to terms with the death of her sister only through time," Estel aka Aragorn sent a small smile at his foster brothers.

"That is all we could hope, Estel," Elrohir grinned sadly at their young foster brother.

* * *

"UGH! SARUMON! STOP TURNING ME INTO THINGS! I'M HUMAN! MORTAL! NOT ELF! NOT DWARF! NOT HOBBIT! HUMAN! MORTAL!" Aldalóme woke by screaming herself awake. Estel rushed into the room to find her gasping for breath and holding her head.

"Are you alright?" Estel frowned worriedly.

"Yeah, just a nightmare. Sorry I woke you," Aldalóme stared down at the bed's covers.

"It's alright, I wasn't exactly sleeping peacefully either," Estel cast a smile her way. "My name is Aragorn, but everyone here calls me Estel.

Aldalóme's head shot up to stare at the future king in shock, "Um, Aragorn, I think you best not tell anyone your real name until after you meet four hobbits and bring them to Rivendale."

"Why?" Estel frowned.

"Because then bad people might find out, make war with the elves and they might try to kill you," Aldalóme replied quickly. "Sorry, but do you mind if I call you Estel? It'll be easier for me not to say your true name, and less likely that someone will find out that you are alive, before it is time for you to come out of the woodwork."

"Come out of the woodwork?" Estel aka Aragorn frowned.

"Um, it's a figure of speech," Aldalóme blushed. "By the way, I'm Aldalóme."

"That's your true name?" Estel questioned.

"Yes, my parents had a fascination for the elvish language and named my sister and me in the tongue of elves. Areien was the one who should have come here, not me. I belong nowhere; she belonged with her friends, with me…"

"I understand," Estel walked towards the young teenaged human on the bed and gave her a hug. "I lost my family when I was younger."

"My sister knew so much about this world, she would have loved it here," Aldalóme buried her face into Estel's shirt, then quickly removed it as she remembered something. "Um, I guess the guy who wrote the books were off on your age."

"What books? Estel frowned.

"There are books about Middle Earth, in my world, and according to them, you aren't supposed to be born, yet," Aldalóme laughed. "It's nice to see that the writer had something wrong!"

"Why are you happy to see that the writer was wrong?"

"Because I like seeing when writers are wrong, it's funny," Aldalóme laughed, and Estel began to smile as she did. Her laughter soon rang through the room and his joined hers.


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter6

            "Arwen doesn't like me, does she Estel," Aldalóme sighed as they walked in the gardens, her sentence more of a statement that a question in the dark cover of nightfall.

            "I don't think she does, but she usually likes everyone," Estel shrugged.

            "Especially you, right?" Aldalóme smiled at her young friend.

            "Well, I guess," Estel frowned. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

            "Easy, she thinks you're not spending enough time around her and she's getting jealous," Aldalóme shook her head at the thought of an elf being a cradle-robber.

            "You think so? How can you tell?" Estel asked curiously.

            "Estel, I am a girl, and sometimes it takes a girl to understand another," Aldalóme chuckled at Estel's ignorance.

            "How true that is, isn't it Elrohir?" Elladan sprang out of nowhere.

            "Yes, very true. No male will ever be able to unravel the mysteries that are women," Elrohir nodded in agreement with his brother. Thus, both brothers earned a whack on the head from Aldalóme.

            "Boys can be such dunderheads," Aldalóme snorted and continued walking with Estel, away from the twins that were both chuckling.

            "What's a dunderhead, Aldalóme?" Estel frowned.

            "How far away can elves hear?" Aldalóme replied.

            "Um…" Estel frowned. "Probably a few leagues, but they won't go near Lord Glorfindel's study!"

            "Okay, let's go there and then I'll tell both you and Lord Glorfindel," Aldalóme whispered into Estel's ear.

            "Okay, let's go to the library! I can start teaching you elvish!" Estel began to drag the girl towards the library, but as soon as they were out of the sights of the twins, he dragged her to Lord Glorfindel's study.

            Estel knocked lightly on the door, "Come in," a slightly bored voice sighed.

            "Greetings, Lord Glorfindel," Estel grinned as he pulled Aldalóme with him.

            "Greetings! What brings you two to my study, Estel?"

            "Aldalóme called the twins something and she told me she'd tell only you and me what she called them," Estel sounded extremely proud.

            "Well, they were insulting women in general, so I slapped the backs of their heads. Then I called them dunderheads."

            "And what does 'dunderheads' mean?" Lord Glorfindel chuckled.

            "Idiots, stupid, morons… Basically anything along those lines," Aldalóme bit her lip in embarrassment.

            Lord Glorfindel burst into loud boisterous laughter, "I would have very much liked to see that, Lady Aldalóme. Thank you for telling me this tale; it has lightened my day considerably!"

            "You are quite welcome Lord Glorfindel, but I ask you to call me Aldalóme, I was never one for fancy titles," Aldalóme blushed slightly.

            "Aldalóme, then I request that you call me Glorfindel."

            "Okay! Later Glorfindel!" Aldalóme smiled and waved as Estel pulled her from the room.

            "Why did you call my brothers dunderheads?" Estel tugged on her arm.

            "They were acting the part," Aldalóme shrugged. To reassure Estel, she gave him a small hug, "I'm sure that they aren't like that all the time."

            "Well… I wouldn't go as far as to say that…" Estel rolled his eyes, and then burst out into infectious laughter.

            Aldalóme laughed, "You know, Estel, I haven't laughed this much since my sister…"

            Estel looked up at Aldalóme worriedly, "You don't have to…"

            "No, Estel, I need to say it. I haven't laughed this much since my sister died," Aldalóme smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, little king."

            "You know?" Estel's eyes widened in shock and he ran from the human girl, leaving her standing in an empty hallway.

            "Estel…" Aldalóme whispered sadly as she watched him disappear.

            "What did you do?" a female voice hissed in her ear.

            "Arwen," Aldalóme frowned her mood darkening with each passing moment.

            "What did you do?" Arwen hissed at Aldalóme again.

            "Arwen, I have done nothing that will keep him from you. I am not a cradle-robber," Aldalóme let her icy shields of the past fall back into place.

            "You will leave Estel alone," Arwen continued to hiss.

            "He is my friend, and you have no say in whom or what I am friends with, Undomiel," Aldalóme caught the elleth's hand that was about to slap her. "Neither you, nor any other holds the right to injure me, elf," Aldalóme gritted her teeth to keep her anger inside. She threw the elleth's arm away from her and walked past the enraged elleth.

            "Get back here Dark Shadow!" Arwen growled angrily at the back of the human.

            Refusing to respond to the angry elleth behind her, Aldalóme continued to walk, leaving the elleth seething in rage, "Why does she really hate me?"

            "Who hates you, child?" a wizened voice filled her hearing.

            "Gandalf?" Aldalóme looked up at the wizard, and hugged the wizard tightly.

            "What is the matter, Aldalóme?" Gandalf soothed.

            "Arwen hates me," was her soft reply.

            "I'm sure that she does not hate you," Gandalf hugged the girl back. "I bet that she's just a bit jealous of the attention that you are receiving."

            "But I'm gonna be gone from Rivendale in a few days…" Aldalóme blinked up at the wizard.

            "Yes, I know, but she is used to all the attention," Gandalf chuckled.

            "She's gonna be nicer as she grows, isn't she?" Aldalóme questioned the wizard.

            "It is very likely," the wizard cast a grin her way.

            "Gandalf, how many more days till we leave?" Aldalóme asked hopefully.

            "So eager to leave, youngling?" Gandalf questioned.

            "My sister once told me of Middle Earth. She spoke a bit of you, and the Shire. That is the one place I know that she would want me to visit, she had a fascination with hobbits," Aldalóme smiled sadly at the memory.

            "Your sister must have been a lovely girl," Gandalf watched the girl as they began to head back to her room.

            "She was my best friend, my sister, and she was my reason for living," Aldalóme sighed as she watched the ground, knowing Gandalf did not yet understand. "She was my responsibility, I was her guardian. She was in my charge… I should have done something, ANYTHING, to keep her alive…"

            "It is quite all right little one," Gandalf initiated this hug. "We shall leave the day after tomorrow."

            "Thank you Gandalf, you remind me of both my father and grandfathers," Aldalóme was crying silently, but she managed to lean up enough to give the wizard a friendly kiss on the cheek.


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter7

"Aldalóme!" one of the twins quickly rushed in the door.

"Huh, what do you want, Elrohir?" Aldalóme sat up slowly, wiping her tears from her eyes.

"Why are you crying? Please, tell me, mellon, please! Im ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­avar le dina (I refuse your silence)!"

"Elrohir…" Aldalóme bit her lip and let out a choked sob.

"Please, mellon, tell me what is wrong," Elrohir begged, but found the girl he was speaking to had thrown herself into his arms and cried mournfully.

"Areien, I let her down. I couldn't save her! I couldn't save mom and dad! I hurt Estel! I'm not at home! Arwen hates me! I want my cousin!" the girl buried her head into Elrohir's shoulder.

"I am sure that you did your best to save them, mellon. How did you manage to hurt Estel?" Elrohir asked nervously.

"I called him 'little king' because he gave such good advice," Aldalóme whispered to the elf.

"Do not worry, you only startled him, mellon," Elrohir tried to soothe the girl. "I understand your wish to return to your homeland, but what in the Valar does Arwen have to do with anything?"

"She hates me, she doesn't want me to be friends with Estel," Aldalóme whispered to Elrohir. "I told her off, she isn't allowed to choose who is and is not my friend! She has no right! She tried to hit me, but I stopped her. Gandalf said that she's just jealous of me, but I don't see why she'd be jealous of me. I just want to see Tommy, Tommy would help me!"

"Who is Tommy?" Elrohir frowned when he thought of what his sister had done.

"My cousin, he's like my big brother, but he's only a week older than me. I trust him more than any of my other cousins, and I miss him."

"I understand, is that everything?" Elrohir sighed tiredly as he rocked the girl slightly in his arms.

"Your dad is kinda scary," Aldalóme chuckled.

Elrohir snorted to stifle his laughter, "You haven't seen anything, until you've seen ada after one of my brother's and my pranks!"

"Thanks Elrohir," Aldalóme lifted her head from his shoulder and hugged him. "I think I'll be okay now. I just have to find Estel, apologize, and… I was wondering if you'd like to know some pranks from my world?"

"Really?!" Elrohir grinned, "We must find Elladan and Estel, quickly then! Together, we can teach Arwen a lesson!"

"Yeah, do you want to dye her hair, make her wet the bed, short-sheet her bed, destroy her wardrobe, get rid of her make-up, nail her bed in front of her door, switch her make-up for glue, or there is always my favorite classic prank! Placing a bucket filled with who-knows-what above the victim's door!"

"You have a lot of options to choose from," Elrohir smirked.

"And that's only the beginning!" Aldalóme winked at the amused elf.

* * *

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" a female shriek was heard in every corner of Imladris as Gandalf left with Aldalóme for Hobbiton.

Aldalóme snickered, and Gandalf chuckled, "Why do I have a feeling that you had something to do with that?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, Gandalf," Aldalóme winked at the wizard, who let out a boisterous laugh. "Gandalf, who else will we see?"

"Oh, you mean besides hobbits?" Gandalf grinned, "I was planning on taking you to see my dear friend, Sarumon the White."

"Um, Gandalf… I'd prefer not to meet him, if you don't mind. I'd also prefer if you didn't mention me to him."

"Oh?" Gandalf raised a brow.

"I can't remember exactly why, but every time I try to remember what it was my sister said about him, my mind says 'don't'," Aldalóme shrugged. "I'm gonna go with my instincts and say that it would not be good if he were to hear, much less meet me."

"It is wise to follow your instincts," Gandalf frowned thoughtfully. "I will respect your wishes, Aldalóme."

"So, anyone other than the guy I don't want to meet because of odd reasoning?" Aldalóme cocked her head curiously.

"Well, I was planning to visit my old friend, Tom, on the way to Hobbiton, do you have a bad feeling about this name?" Gandalf raised his brow curiously.

"Nope, actually, I want to laugh," Aldalóme frowned and looked at Gandalf quizzically. "You want to keep saying names, and have me give you reactions? We could make it a game, and I might remember more of what my sister told me."

"That would be a very informative game. I believe I will accept your offer," Gandalf smiled knowingly.

"Okay, you start, because… well, that's how its gotta go," Aldalóme shrugged.

"Mirkwood."

"Mixed feelings, a bit of fear and why am I thinking of spiders?"

"Large spiders live in that wood."

"Oh."

"Thranduil."

"Um, I think I should know this name," Aldalóme pouted.

"Anything else?"

"It's a mix of irritation, and forgiveness."

"Celeborn."

"Nice."

"Galadriel?"

"Mixed again, but I feel a bit creeped-out, and yet, not an evil feeling."

"Thorin."

"Dwarf!"

"Yes, he is a dwarf, but how do you know that?"

"I think I read about him, once. Um, I think Lord Elrond was in it briefly, and you, and your friend Tom…" Aldalóme frowned trying to think back to what she had forgotten. "It's been a while since I've read that book."

"Do you remember the title?" Gandalf frowned.

"It had something to do with Hobbits and directions, I think. I read way too much in my world," Aldalóme sighed. "I wish Areien was here, she'd know what was going on."

"That may be, but she may have been just as lost as you are," Gandalf smiled at the young girl riding beside him as they approached a lovely little house. "Tom! Tom! It's Gandalf! I've brought a friend with me!"

"Oh, Gandalf?" Tom stepped out singing, "A wizard and a child visit Old Tom, Old Tom Bombadil! Through the trees and forests fair to Old Tom's humble lair!"

"It seems this Tom loves to rhyme, does he do it all the time?" Aldalóme couldn't help but grin and sing to Tom.

"Old Tom does love to rhyme and sing, but it seems you are also such a thing!" Tom laughed as he sang, placing Aldalóme in a much cheerier mood.

"Hello Tom," Gandalf chuckled. "Would you like a tale?"

"Of course! When do I not like a tale? Could you start?"

"It is not mine to start, but Aldalóme, here, can tell you," Gandalf held moved his hand in the direction Aldalóme was, as she dismounted her horse.

"What tale is that, Gandalf?" the girl asked the wizard.

"Tell of before your stay in Rivendell."

"Well, I did not always live in Middle Earth; I'm from just plain old Earth. Now, you must understand that Earth is not at all like Middle Earth, for there are fewer trees, and immense houses. There are so many houses, that often you can not see the end of them. There are noises and smells that would dare to choke the very breath from you, and machines are everywhere. There are no elves, orks, wizards, dwarfs, or even hobbits. It is a world run by men and women, all humans." Tom ushered them into his home and quickly had them sit as he raptly listened to Aldalóme's tale, "I lived in one of those houses with my father, mother, and younger sister. Often my family would leave on an outing together, but I had convinced my sister that our parents needed a night for themselves, as I always did, every so often. They left, and they did not come back home. I was told the news by a guard at the door, who told me that my parents had died in a terrible accident. My sister and I both mourned, but I made sure that I was her rock, not caring for my own grief. My cousin noticed it in my letters to him, and he begged me to confide in him. I did, and soon I was fine. I was given guardianship of my sister, and we lived together in our old house. I got a job at an inn, and made enough for us to have a little extra money for the two of us. I thought everything was going fine, but then, when everything seems to finally be going your way, you often get smacked in the face."

"What happened?" Tom asked hungrily, for he was enthralled by this tale.

"My sister started feinting, getting ill, and she claimed her heart hurt her. I took her to the many different healers afterwards, to find out what was going on. Finally, I was told that she had a weak heart. My sister had a seizure on the table, I was horrified. They saved her life, and placed her on the list for a new heart. However, a few months later, they still had not found her a new heart, and she had another seizure, there was nothing I could do. She died in her sleep. I wouldn't talk to anyone after her funeral. My cousin couldn't get out of his guard duty, and there was no one I could talk to anymore. I went home, and ran into the small forest area behind it. I climbed a tree, even though a storm seemed to be on its way. It began to rain, as I began to cry in the trees branches. Lightning hit the tree I was sitting in, causing it to fall, and land on me. Then, out of nowhere, a tornado appeared. I blacked out, for when I woke up, I saw Elrohir, son of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. He took me to his father, and my stay there was rather pleasant, but for some reason, I had been turned into an elf! I met Gandalf, who returned me to my true form, and I asked him to take me with him. I have no family here, and so, Gandalf let me tag along."

"So, that is your tale?" Tom cocked his head, and then laughed, "You would make a marvelous story teller! You must meet my wife, Goldberry!"


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter8

"Did you enjoy speaking to Tom, Aldalóme?" Gandalf chuckled.

"Very much so, Gandalf, but he did not know how I should go about getting back to my world." Aldalóme sighed, "I do wish my cousin were here, he'd know what to do, and he always was like my big brother…"

"Let us visit Lothlórien, I'm sure the Lady Galadriel can show you what has become of your cousin," Gandalf smiled down at the young girl.

"But I thought we were traveling to Hobbiton," Aldalóme pouted.

"Oh, we are… eventually," Gandalf laughed. "Would you like to go further and meet the Mirkwood Elves, or the Lord of the Eagles?"

"Um, actually, I'd rather not see King Thranduil," Aldalóme blushed as she stared at her pony's neck that Tom had leant to them.

"Oh?" Gandalf raised a brow.

"Well, I vaguely remember reading this one book about him… and I remember that it said he was not very hospitable to others not of his race," Aldalóme bit her lip.

"Yes, you are right, my dear. Would you like to visit the Eagles?"

"Maybe we could meet them another day?" Aldalóme asked. "I really would be honored to meet the Eagle Lord, but…"

"You are more interested on going to the Shire," Gandalf laughed. "Very well, Aldalóme, we shall soon be in Lothlórien and in Lady Galadriel's presence."

"Um, Gandalf… Aren't there guards for Lothlórien?"

"Yes, there are, how did you know that?"

"I think my sister told me something about them…"

"The Marchwarden, Haldir, and his two brothers are the main guards in charge of protecting Lothlórien," Gandalf smiled.

"Wouldn't it be funny if a dwarf were to come to Lothlórien saying that he had keen senses, only to be caught by one of the guards, and the guard to reply that they could hear a dwarf because he breathed too loud?" Aldalóme laughed as they entered the golden wood on the ponies.

"Where did you get such an idea?" Gandalf chuckled.

"I think my sister said something to that extent," Aldalóme grinned at Gandalf.

"Halt! Who trespasses in the Golden wood?"

"Greetings Haldir, it has been a while. How are you and your brothers?" Gandalf called into the trees.

"We fair well, Gandalf the Grey," Haldir climbed down from his tree-post, bow and quiver on his back. "Who is the maiden that travel's with you?"

"This is the Lady Aldalóme. We had hoped that the Lady Galadriel could help her return to her own land, for she is not of Middle Earth," Gandalf replied.

"Milady, you must think highly of the elves to have laughed at such a comment about dwarves."

"Actually, I don't really understand why you don't like the dwarves, but I remembered my younger sister telling me about what she had read, and I remember laughing with her," Aldalóme's eyes looked far away and sad to Haldir's elvish ones.

"You must miss your sister, fairly much," Haldir gazed kindly at her.

"The funny thing is… I keep getting this feeling that Areien is not dead, but alive…" Aldalóme frowned.

"Maybe the Lady Galadriel can help you," Haldir offered a hand to the mortal maiden and helped her dismount from the pony.

"Thank you, Marchwarden," Aldalóme curtsied.

"The ponies will safely go back to Old Tom," Gandalf assured Aldalóme as the girl cooed and ran her fingers through the ponies' mane.

"Thank you Gandalf," Aldalóme whispered to the wizard.

"I shall take you to the lady, Mithrandir, Lady Aldalóme…" Haldir offered Aldalóme his arm and they walked quietly through the woods into the very heart of Lothlórien.

"Your home is very beautiful, Marchwarden Haldir," Aldalóme stared in amazement as she gazed around the beautiful city.

"Thank you for your compliment milady," Haldir replied stiffly.

"Do the twins come and disturb it often?" Aldalóme grinned as the stiff Marchwarden turned his gaze on her, showing startlement.

"You know of Lord Elrohir and Lord Elladan?"

"I had the pleasure of making their acquaintances in Imladris," Aldalóme affirmed cheerfully.

"The twins of Lord Elrond do not visit often, Lady, but when they do… they seem to encourage mischief in my younger brothers," Haldir let himself smile at the young human.

"You're not as scary as Lord Elrond," Aldalóme smiled up at Haldir.

"Pardon, milady, but Lord Elrond frightens you?" Haldir frowned.

"He's too serious," Aldalóme bit her lips. "I think people who are too serious have a tendency to scare me. My parents weren't very serious, and being serious some of the time is not a bad thing, but all the time… that's when you should worry about a person. And I'm not sure why, but I guess Lord Elrond is just intimidating."

"You do not think I am?" Haldir chuckled.

"I'm sure you can be, especially backed up by an arrow, but I think you are a kind person, and if I remember right from the twins, your brothers are a bit… silly."

Haldir laughed when Aldalóme told him what the twins thought of his brothers, "That they are, milady! That they are!"

"Goodness brother, what in Middle Earth has caused you to smile and laugh so?" a face resembling Haldir's poked out from behind a tree.

"And who is this charming maiden who causes our brother such amusement?" another figure appeared behind the first and both walked up to Haldir.

"Lady Aldalóme, these are my brothers, Orophin and Rumíl," Haldir chuckled. "Brother's this is the Lady Aldalóme."

"Hello," Aldalóme whispered shyly.

"Good day!" the brother's replied in unison.

"Have you been traveling with the Mithrandir long?" Orophin asked.

"Why do you have an elvish name?" Rumíl frowned.

"I've been traveling with Gandalf since he last left Imladris," Aldalóme answered quietly. "My parents, though from another world, loved the elvish language and thought it beautiful enough to give their daughters elvish names."

"Do you have any brothers?" Rumíl questioned.

"How many sisters?" Orophin asked.

"I have a cousin who is like a brother to me, and I had one sister," Aldalóme sighed tiredly, and to the surprise of all four of her companions, she disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Haldir frowned.

"We do not know brother," Orophin's eyes darted everywhere, but he found no sign of the young mortal maiden.

"Aldalóme?" Gandalf called slight worry in his voice.

"Why are you shouting Gandalf? I'm right here," Aldalóme frowned as she watched their anxious eyes travel to where they heard her voice; they sighted her in the tree's shadow. "What?!" Aldalóme crossed her arms beginning to become irritated at the looks all four males were giving her. "Blooming elves and old geezers!" She huffed before storming ahead of the four males, and effectively disappearing from their view before they had the sense to catch up. "Gramps never gave me odd stares, he never yelled at me… except when I was with the cousins and… I miss you Gramps. I miss my favorite cousin. I miss my sister!"

"Child, you have strayed away from my Marchwarden, why have you strayed to my gardens?" a gorgeous lady in white appeared before Aldalóme.

"Greetings Lady Galadriel, it is an honor to make your acquaintance," the young girl sighed tiredly after she had said, what to her, was a normal greeting.

"You are not from this world, and yet you were born here…"

"Was I, Lady? If so, to whom, when, and where?"

"You were born to a changeling couple that lived near the Shire… around the same day that they died your sister was born."

"Is she alive, Lady?"

"I am not sure, but there is a sense of promise on the wind," Lady Galadriel replied.

"Thank you, Lady. Your wisdom and words have helped to lighten my heart greatly," Aldalóme bowed her head respectfully at the elven queen, for she wore not a dress or skirt.

"Think nothing of it child. It may amuse you, but many of your ancestors were of the different types of people of middle earth, all but the kind that dig and dwell beep into the earth," Galadriel smiled.

"So, I have elf, hobbit and human in me?"

"You could well be any of those you wished, as your human ancestor was also very like the Mithrandir…"

"So, that is why my parents were changelings? Because their parents or ancestors were wizards?" Aldalóme frowned thoughtfully. The Lady only nodded in reply, but that was enough to make Aldalóme think that maybe it was a good thing she was a changeling…

"Once you choose a form for life, you will not be able to change it again. For that is the way of the changeling," Lady Galadriel sighed. "While we were chatting, Mithrandir has come for what he came for. You will be spending the night with us. We will see you off in the morning, young changeling."

"I hope you have a pleasant night, Lady of the Golden Woods," Aldalóme replied as she was dismissed to find Gandalf.


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own LOTR!

**Secret Hurts**

Chapter 9

"Gandalf, where are we headed now?" Aldalóme asked curiously.

"Hobbiton. I'm sorry to make this journey so long, but I had some urgent business to take care of," Gandalf apologized.

"That's alright Gandalf," Aldalóme yawned as they mounted their new elvish horses. "Gandalf, can I call you Grandpa?"

"It would please me very much to call you my granddaughter, and so you are free to call me Grandfather or Grandpa," Gandalf smiled with a twinkle in his merry eyes.

"Thanks, Grandpa," Aldalóme smiled as they began to ride, and she rode close enough to the wizard to reach over and hug him.

"Granddaughter, would you like to quicken our pace?" Gandalf asked mischievously.

"But Grandpa! You're riding a Miras! They are the God's of the horse kind. You would surely win on such an beautiful one full of grace and spirit," Aldalóme replied merrily. Then she sent a smile his way and they both broke off at a gallop, the valley of the Shire their destination.

"So, how far do you believe we are, Grandfather?"

"It is just over the horizon, Granddaughter," Gandalf chuckled.

Something came over Aldalóme as she saw the first rays of light fall into the valley below them, "It's beautiful, Grandfather!"

"That it is, Granddaughter, but what of the other places we have been?"

"I guess that they each have their own allure and beauty, but my sister's soul seems to rest here. Why is that, do you think, Grandfather?"

"Her soul?" Gandalf frowned.

"It's like I can sense her… It's like a… well, it's indescribable," Aldalóme frowned as the pull became stronger. Suddenly, she took off, allowing Gandalf no time to do anything but follow her. Following the pull she directed her horse through the lazy little town of Hobbiton until she arrived at a hobbit hole. "Here."

"Aldalóme!" Gandalf called after the girl, but was surprised as she changed into a hobbit.

She knocked on the door, only to have it answered by a male, "Hello? Who calls so early before breakfast?"

"Good morning sir, my name is Aldalóme. I am seeking someone which has been lost. Do you have such a lost guest within your company?"

"Lóme!" someone shrieked from the inside of the hobbit hole. A blur of color barreled past the startled hobbit that had answered the door, and bowled over Aldalóme.

"Areien," Aldalóme gasped in shock and then she burst into tears. "Rei! I thought I had lost you!"

"You could never loose me, Lóme!" Areien shrieked with happiness.

"I missed you so much, sister mine," Aldalóme dried her eyes and hugged her sister again.

"So, what do you think about being a hobbit?! I think I like it!" Areien grinned. "Oh! Sis, I'd like you to meet Bilbo Baggins! Bilbo, this is my older sister, Aldalóme!"

"You little twerp! You would meet up with a sweet and kind hobbit!" Aldalóme teased her sister, "Now me, I ended up as an elf with an elf! In RIVENDELL!"

"REALLY?! WERE THEY AS AMAZING AS THEY ARE SAID TO BE?! DID YOU SEE LEGOLAS?!" Areien shrieked excitedly.

"They were just as they said in the book, and no, I did not meet the Prince of Mirkwood, but I did meet the Lady in Lothlórien and Haldir and his brothers! Oh! Grandfather! I forgot about him!" Aldalóme quickly turned around and there sat an amused wizard on his horse. "Please forgive me, Grandfather. In my haste to find out what the strange pull on my soul was, I forgot that you were traveling with me!"

"Aldalóme, that's not our grandpa," Areien frowned at her sister.

"He's more like an adopted Grandfather, sister. Grandfather, I'd like you to meet my younger sister, Areien, and her marvelous caretaker, Bilbo Baggins. Areien, Bilbo, this is Gandalf the Grey."

"He's GANDALF?! AND HE LET'S YOU CALL HIM GRANDFATHER?!" Areien shrieked in surprise.

"Sister, you always did try and deafen me, but I'm used to your screeching, while others may not be able to bear you," Aldalóme rolled her eyes.

"Sorry," Areien pouted but smiled as soon as her sister nodded.

"Well, you're all welcome to have first breakfast in my home," Bilbo announced.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Bilbo Baggins," Aldalóme swept into a graceful curtsey that she had learned from watching the elves.

The wizard chuckled at Bilbo's surprised face, "You're welcome very much, Miss."

"Areien, I have much to discuss with you later, especially about a certain LOTR trilogy and those involved in said trilogy, not to mention the book before the trilogy," Aldalóme frowned and gave her sister a look that clearly stated that they would continue said discussion when they were alone.

"Granddaughter, I was coming to see Mr. Baggins tomorrow, but since I'm here now, I'll need to speak to him privately…"

"It's alright Grandfather, my sister and I will be outside discussing a few important things like our ancestry and other useful tidbits," Aldalóme winked at Gandalf and led her sister to the door.

"So, you think Bilbo is about to go on his quest?" Areien questioned.

"Yes. I was going to ask you about what happens, but after seeing you I seem to have remembered everything you told me and what I've read."

"So, what was all that about, with Gandalf and our ancestry?" Areien frowned curiously.

"We were born in Middle Earth or Arda," Aldalóme waited for it to sink in.

"How do you know this?" Areien hissed in startlement.

"The Lady of the Golden Woods told me. We are what she calls 'Changelings.' Apparently we can change into three forms. That of a mortal, a Halfling, or an elf. Try changing into an elf."

Areien tried and was amazed when she turned out a bit taller than she had previously had been, before she turned back into a hobbit, "So, we have three forms? How strange."

"I believe that we are to accompany your hobbit friend and Grandfather to Rivendell. And I think that we can explore it rather thoroughly with my friends there. Perhaps we will go to Gondor or Rohan later on, before the war breaks out. You would probably love to meet Haldir and his brothers!"

"Aldalóme, while we're here, I want to introduce you to Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry!"

"Of course, little sister," Aldalóme grinned. "First we must tell Grandfather where we will be."

Areien dragged her sister back into the Hobbit hole and proceeded to tell Bilbo that they were seeing Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry. Then she dragged her older sister out the door before she barely had time to wave a goodbye to Gandalf, "PIPPIN! MERRY!" Areien was shrieking again.

"Areien!" Pippin and Merry turned around with twin grins on their faces, "How are you! Who is your new friend?!"

"Merry, Pippin, this is my older sister Aldalóme! Sis, meet Mer and Pip!" Areien smirked.

"Nice to meet you both. I am most glad to be reunited with my younger sister. It seems my sister felt the need to drag me from my Grandfather and meet all of her interesting friends."

"Where did she learn to talk, Mer?" Pippin asked curiously.

"She talks a lot like Frodo or Bilbo," Merry commented.

"I've spent some time with the elves," Aldalóme blushed a bit as both hobbits nodded in understanding. Merry grabbed Aldalóme's hand and Pippin took Areien's and dragged them down the road.

"Merry! Pippin! What's the meaning of this?!" Areien glared at the two hobbit lads.

"We're taking you to Frodo!" Merry laughed merrily.


End file.
